These divinities too are Krishna’s manifestations as taught in the Vedic texts.

“Although an individual may choose to worship some deity such as the Sun with faith, unaware that all deities are My manifestations, I understand that he is worshipping Me alone, and therefore I make his faith firm and unflinching, that is, free from hindrances.”

“प्रकृत्या स्वभावेन | स्वभावः प्रकृतिश्चैव संस्कारो वासनेति च | इत्यभिधानात् ||” - By nature means by their innate inclination and conventional impressions. By innate attributes, by nature, by tradition and by attraction of senses, thus having been spoken.

“यां याम् ब्रह्मदिरूपां तनूम् | उक्तं च नारदीये - अन्तो ब्रह्मदिभक्तानां मद्भक्तानां अन्तारा || इति | मुक्तच्छ कं गतिं गच्छेन्मोक्षश्चैव किमात्मकः? इत्यादेः | परिहारसम्बन्धो मोक्षधर्मेषु | अवतारे महाविष्णोर्भक्तः कुत्र च मुच्यते? इत्यादेः च ब्रह्मवैवर्ते ||” - Here यां याम् तनूम् means in whatever other forms, like those of Brahma and others. There is conclusion to the devotees of Brahma and others but to my devotees there is no such conclusion, thus in Narada Puraana. What is the goal of deliverance? Where does the self go after deliverance? All the matters dealing with deliverance have been explained here. Even though manifestations of the Lord are many, deliverance is singularly assured to the devotee of the Lord, thus in Brahma Vaivartaka Puraana.

“विष्णुं तत्परं ज्ञात्वा रमाव्रह्महरादिकान् | यजन्नापि तमोघोरं नित्यदुःखं प्रयाति हि || अज्ञानां तु कुले जातो यावद् विष्णुः समर्चयन् | विष्णुतत्त्वं च जानीयत् तावत् | सेव पृथक् कृता || विद्यादैहिकभोगय यदि बुद्ध्वा पुनर्नतु | परिवर्तामृते कुर्यादन्यदेवार्चनं क्वचित् || अजानता कृतं त्वक्तं न दोषाय भविष्यति | जन्मादिप्रदमेव स्यादत्यागे पुनरेव तु || क्षिप्रं च ज्ञापयत्येव भगवान् स्वायमेव तु | यदि जन्मान्तरे स्वीयो निनित्तीकृत्य कश्चन || इत्यादि च ||” - Even after knowing Sri Vishnu as the Supreme One, those who propitiate Ramaa, Brahma, Hara and others as the superior ones, though such worship, they enter the dark world of tamas (obscurity), offering the eternal misery, to those born in the family of those who have no awareness. Whereas Sri Vishnu alone is fully to be propitiated because without knowing this principles of propitiating Sri Vishnu other propitiation becomes disparate. Knowledge comes to be used only for the satisfaction of the body. If by discrimination one becomes aware of the truth, then other gods should be worshipped knowing them to be the members of His family.

The worship done unknowingly and later given up, does not bring any demerits. Only it causes re-births. In the subsequent life the Lord Himself grants quick recollection making some one the instrument of the proper mode of worship.

“मत्त एवेति तान् विद्धि इत्युपसंहाराच्च तत्कारणत्वात् तत्तनामेत्यवसीयते | मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतम् | इति भेदेनैवोपक्रमाच्च | आप्नोति विष्णुमित्येवाऽस्मशब्दो ज्ञानिनि | आप्नोति यदादत्ते इत्यादेः | आस्थितः स हि, मां प्रपद्यते इत्यादिवाक्यशेषाच्च | बहूनां जन्मनान्ते ज्ञानवान् भवति | ततो मां प्रपद्यते | वासुदेवः सर्वमिति पूर्णमिति जानन् | प्रपद्यन्तेऽन्यदेवताः इतिवाक्यशेषे भेददर्शनाच्च | देवान् देवयज्ञो यान्ति मद्भक्ता यान्ति मामपि | इति च ||” - Knowing Me in this manner... - with these words of conclusion, He clarifies that He alone exists in everything. मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतम् - speaks only of the difference. Thus he clarifies that for the one who is knowledgeable, Sri Vishnu alone is the Self within. “That which is attained; that which gives” with such statements, आस्थितः स हि, मां प्रपद्यते - one who is devoted to Me attains Me, particularly with such sentences, then He attains Me, “At the end of many lives one attains knowledge” knowing that Vasudeva is all this. Knowing Vasudeva as all this and also as the Complete one. “Those who worship other gods” such sentences show the difference. Those who are devoted to gods attain only the gods; while those who worship Me attain Me alone.

“ज्ञात्वा परत्वं विष्णोस्तु पृथग् देवान् यजन्तः | याति देवास्तदज्ञात्वा तम एव प्रपद्यते | तथापि यावदन्यैस्तु साम्यं हीनत्वमेकताम् | नकिञ्चिन्वन्ति जायन्ते संसारे ते पुनः पुनश्च || इति च ||” - Knowing the supremacy of Sri Vishnu, those human beings who worship others gods as the separate ones, go to the worlds of tamas (obscurity). Even then whoever considers the other gods as similar to, or superior than, or capable of being united with Sri Vishnu would certainly attain the world of tamas (obscurity).

20 "Those whose judgment is led astray by desires of different sorts, betake themselves to other Divinities, following various kinds of observances, being ruled by their own (inward) bent. 21 "Whatsover man of devotion desires to adore in faith this or that form of manifestation (of the Divinity), I make that same faith of such a man steadfast. (139)

Once desire for any fruit enters into the heart, through avarice, the Light that sees is blown out by the violent gale of that passion. Thus benighted in and out, they are lost to My divine being which is near at hand; and then they betake themselves to the worship of other deities, heart and soul. Being already slaves of 'Māyā' (delusion) they are helpless beggars through the love of sense-enjoyment; and what a pity, they covetously abandon themselves, to the worship of other deities. And no wonder, they of their own accord impose many rules of worship upon themselves, and scrupulously collect all sorts of materials used in worship, and dedicate riches to the deity, carefully observing the prescribed rules of procedure. And yet, I am the giver of the desires and the fruits of action to those who beg favours of any deity whatever. Such devotees have not (even) the faith to see that I am the God-head in all such deities. They are always misled in their hearts by wrong faith in the diverse deities as distinct from each other.

'Yo yo yām yām tanum bhaktaḥ...tāmeva vidadhāmyaham'— The Lord, makes the faith of devotees steady in the gods, whom they seek to worship. The Lord, does not force them to have faith only, in Him. Faith in other gods, does not lead to salvation, because they adore them to satisfy their desire. But, He makes the faith of a devotee firm in Him, if he has faith in Him and

* 'Cetana' (sentient) is that which knows itself and also others, while Matter (insentient) is that which knows neither itself nor others.

† As here is the repetition of the words 'Yo' (who) and 'Yām' (which), in the sixth verse of the eighth chapter also there is repetition of the word 'Yām' (which). By this use the Lord means to say that as a man is free in the adoration of either God or the gods, he is free at his last moment to think of Him or of anyone else.

he wants to attain salvation, because He is a disinterested friend, of all beings (Gītā 5/29).

Now, a question arises, why the Lord does not make the faith of all persons firm only in Him? The Lord seems to answer the question, by saying that if He stabilizes their faith, only in Him, they lose their independence and He is proved, selfish. So, He sets an example for human beings, that they should be impartial, and should not motivate other people to have faith in them, and adore them only.

The second question that arises, that the Lord by stabilizing their faith in other gods, does not think of their welfare, because that faith does not lead them to salvation. The answer is, that if He stabilizes their faith in Him, apart from others, that will cease their reverence and faith, in Him. But, if they are given freedom, being intelligent and wise, they may be attracted towards Him, and that attraction will lead them to salvation. This, is the best way, to their salvation.

The third question was does the Lord, instead of uplifting them, degrade them by stabilizing their faith, in other gods? The answer is, that He stabilizes their faith not only in gods, but in anyone, whom they wish (desire) to adore and they are free to change their wish, because they have discrimination which is a divine gift to every human being. Had they been weak, incapable and helpless, in changing their inclinations (desire), then where is the glory in this human birth? By using this discrimination, they can kill the enemy in the form of desire (3/43).

**Appendix**—Generally a man wants to attract other people towards him, he wants them to become his disciple or servant, he wants them to follow his sect, he wants them to have reverence for him and to offer him regard, respect and worship and to obey him. But God in spite of being superior to all, does not make anyone dependent but He makes the faith of a devotee steady in the deity, whom he seeks to worship—this shows a

great generosity and impartiality of God.

From God's point of view, all is His manifestation only—'mattah parataram nānyatkiñcidasti'. Therefore God is not partial to anyone in the least. But this impartial nature of God is not easily understood but it is clear only when it is deeply reflected upon. If a man understands (knows) this nature of the Lord, he becomes a devotee to Him.

umā rāma subhāu jehim jānā tāhi bhajanu taji bhāva na ānā

(Mānasa, Sundara. 34/2)

sa sarvavidbhajati māṁ sarvabhāvena bhārata

(Gītā 15/19)

The man who lacks something, tends to make the other person his servant (Dāsa). God lacks nothing, therefore how can He make anyone His servant (dependent)? But if a man wants to become a servant of God, He does not refuse and accepts him as a servant by showering His grace. This is His special generosity. As a man by seeing a lovely child gets pleased, it does not mean that the man has any selfish motive. Similarly when anyone becomes a servant of God, He is delighted with his simple heartedness—'morem adhika dāsa para prīti' (Mānasa, Uttara. 16/4). In the eighteenth chapter of the Gītā when the Lord asks Arjuna to do as he wishes—'yathecchasi tathā kuru' and Arjuna is very much perturbed, then the Lord out of His grace says to Arjuna in order to console him, 'Take refuge in Me alone'—'māmekam śaraṇam vraja' (18/66). But before this utterance, the Lord says to Arjuna that this is the Supreme secret (18/64) and afterwards He forbids Arjuna to unfold the Supreme secret to everyone (18/67). It proves that though the Lord has no intention of making anyone His servant, yet if a man, without getting any other support, is perturbed and wants to become His servant, He out of His grace, accepts him. It means that if a man has faith in a deity, God makes his faith firm in

that deity; and he who has faith in Him, the Lord makes his faith steady in Him—there is no doubt about it. The reason is that God minds the welfare of His devotee without any selfish motive of His own.

जो-जो सकाम भक्त जिस-जिस देवताके स्वरूपका श्रद्धा और भक्तियुक्त होकर अर्चन-पूजन करना चाहता है, उस-उस भक्तकी देवताविषयक उस श्रद्धाको मैं अचल—स्थिर कर देता हूँ।

अभिप्राय यह कि जो पुरुष पहले स्वभावसे ही प्रवृत्त हुआ जिस श्रद्धाद्वारा जिस देवताके स्वरूपका पूजन करना चाहता है (उस पुरुषकी उसी श्रद्धाको मैं स्थिर कर देता हूँ)

(7.143) परन्तु जो मनुष्य किसी अन्य देवताओं को भजने की इच्छा करता है उसकी सम्पूर्ण इच्छा पूर्ण करनेहारा मैं हूँ।

(7.144) देखो, देव और देवी मैं ही हूँ, परन्तु उसका ऐसा निश्चय नहीं रहता। वह उनमें अलग-अलग भाव रखता है

संगति— यह श्लोक कर्मकाण्ड का प्रतिपादन करता है तथा आगामी श्लोक उपासना का है।

भावार्थ— जो-जो भक्त श्रद्धापूर्वक जिस-जिस देव-विग्रह की पूजा करना चाहता है, उसकी उसी-उसी श्रद्धा को मैं पुष्ट कर देता हूँ [क्योंकि मैं अन्तर्यामी हूँ]।

'यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्तः ... तामेव विदधाम्यहम्'—जो-जो मनुष्य जिस-जिस देवताका भक्त होकर श्रद्धापूर्वक यजन-पूजन करना चाहता है, उस-उस मनुष्यकी श्रद्धा उस-उस देवताके प्रति मैं अचल (दृढ़) कर देता हूँ। वे दूसरोंमें न लगकर मेरेमें ही लग जायें—ऐसा मैं नहीं करता। यद्यपि उन-उन देवताओंमें लगनेसे कामनाके कारण उनका कल्याण नहीं होता, फिर भी मैं उनको उनमें लगा देता हूँ, तो जो मेरेमें श्रद्धा-प्रेम रखते हैं, अपना कल्याण करना चाहते हैं, उनकी श्रद्धाको मैं अपने प्रति दृढ़ कैसे नहीं करूँगा अर्थात् अवश्य करूँगा। कारण कि मैं प्राणिमात्रका सुहृद हूँ—'सुहृदं सर्वभूतानाम्' (गीता ५। २९)।

इसपर यह शंका होती है कि आप सबकी श्रद्धा अपनेमें ही दृढ़ क्यों नहीं करते? इसपर भगवान् मानो यह कहते हैं कि अगर मैं सबकी श्रद्धाको अपने प्रति दृढ़ करूँ तो मनुष्यजन्मकी स्वतन्त्रता, सार्थकता ही कहाँ रही? तथा मेरी स्वार्थपरताका त्याग कहाँ हुआ? अगर लोगोंको अपनेमें ही लगानेका मेरा आग्रह रहे, तो यह कोई बड़ी बात नहीं है; क्योंकि ऐसा बर्ताव तो दुनियाके सभी स्वार्थी जीवोंका स्वाभाविक होता है। अतः मैं इस स्वार्थपरताको मिटाकर ऐसा स्वभाव सिखाना चाहता हूँ कि कोई भी मनुष्य पक्षपात करके दूसरोंसे केवल अपनी पूजा-प्रतिष्ठा करवानेमें ही न लगा रहे और किसीको पराधीन न बनाये।

अब दूसरी शंका यह होती है कि आप उनकी श्रद्धाको उन देवताओंके प्रति दृढ़ कर देते हैं, इससे आपकी साधुता तो सिद्ध हो गयी, पर उन जीवोंका तो आपसे विमुख होनेसे अहित ही हुआ? इसका समाधान यह है कि अगर मैं उनकी श्रद्धाको दूसरोंसे हटाकर अपनेमें लगानेका भाव रखूँगा तो उनकी मेरेमें अश्रद्धा हो जायगी। परन्तु अगर मैं अपनेमें लगानेका भाव नहीं रखूँगा और उनको स्वतन्त्रता दूँगा, तो उस स्वतन्त्रताको पानेवालोंमें जो बुद्धिमान् होंगे, वे मेरे इस बर्तावको देखकर मेरी तरफ ही आकृष्ट होंगे। अतः उनके उद्धारका यही तरीका बढ़िया है।

अब तीसरी शंका यह होती है कि जब आप स्वयं उनकी श्रद्धाको दूसरोंमें दृढ़ कर देते हैं, तो फिर उस श्रद्धाको कोई मिटा ही नहीं सकता। फिर तो उसका पतन ही होता चला जायगा? इसका समाधान यह है कि मैं उनकी श्रद्धाको देवताओंके प्रति ही दृढ़ करता हूँ, दूसरोंके प्रति नहीं—ऐसी बात नहीं है। मैं तो उनकी इच्छाके अनुसार ही उनकी श्रद्धाको दृढ़ करता हूँ और अपनी इच्छाको बदलनेमें मनुष्य स्वतन्त्र है, योग्य है। इच्छाको बदलनेमें वे परवश, निर्बल और अयोग्य नहीं हैं। अगर इच्छाको बदलनेमें वे परवश होते तो फिर मनुष्यजन्मकी महिमा ही कहाँ रही? और इच्छा (कामना-) का त्याग करनेकी आज्ञा भी मैं कैसे दे सकता था—'जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम्' (गीता ३। ४३)?

१-जो अपनेको तथा दूसरेको भी जाने, वह 'चेतन' है और जो अपनेको तथा दूसरेको भी नहीं जाने, वह 'जड़' है। २-जैसे यहाँ 'यो यः, यां याम्' आया है, ऐसे ही आठवें अध्यायके छठे श्लोकमें 'यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावम्' आया है। दो बार 'यत्' शब्दका अर्थात् 'यो यः' 'यां याम्' और 'यं यम्' शब्दोंका प्रयोग करनेका तात्पर्य है कि जैसे मनुष्य उपासना करनेमें स्वतन्त्र है अर्थात् देवताओंकी उपासना करे, चाहे मेरी उपासना करे—इसमें वह स्वतन्त्र है, ऐसे ही अन्तकालमें स्मरण करनेमें भी मनुष्य सर्वथा स्वतन्त्र है अर्थात् मेरा स्मरण करे चाहे किसी औरका स्मरण करे—इसमें वह स्वतन्त्र है।

**परिशिष्ट भाव—**प्रायः मनुष्य दूसरे मनुष्योंको अपनी तरफ लगाना चाहते हैं, अपना शिष्य या दास बनाना चाहते हैं, अपने सम्प्रदायमें लाना चाहते हैं, अपनेमें श्रद्धा करवाना चाहते हैं, अपना पूजन, आदर, मान-सम्मान करवाना चाहते हैं, अपनी बात मनवाना चाहते हैं। परन्तु भगवान् सर्वोपरि होते हुए भी किसीको अपने अधीन नहीं बनाते, प्रत्युत जो जहाँ श्रद्धा रखता है, उसकी श्रद्धाको वहीं दृढ़ कर देते हैं—यह भगवान्की कितनी उदारता है, निष्पक्षता है!

भगवान्की दृष्टिमें सब कुछ उनका ही स्वरूप है—‘**मत्तः परतरं नान्यत्किंचिदस्ति**’। इसलिये भगवान्में किसीके प्रति किंचिन्मात्र भी पक्षपात नहीं है। परन्तु भगवान्का यह पक्षपातरहित स्वभाव सहज ही समझमें नहीं आता, प्रत्युत गहरा विचार करनेसे ही समझमें आता है। अगर यह स्वभाव किसीकी समझमें आ जाय तो वह भगवान्का भक्त हो जायगा—

**उमा राम सुभाउ जेहि जाना। ताहि भजनु तजि भाव न आना॥**

(मानस, सुन्दर ३४। २)

**स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत॥** (गीता १५। १९)

दूसरेको अपना दास वही बनाता है, जिसमें कोई कमी है। भगवान्में कोई कमी है ही नहीं, इसलिये वे अपनी तरफसे किसीको अपना दास (अधीन) कैसे बना सकते हैं? परन्तु कोई उनका दास बनना चाहे तो वे मना नहीं करते और दयापूर्वक उसको दास स्वीकार कर लेते हैं। यह उनकी विशेष उदारता है! जैसे छोटे-से बालकको देखकर कोई व्यक्ति रीझ जाता है तो इसका अर्थ यह नहीं है कि उस बालकसे उसका कोई स्वार्थभाव है। ऐसे ही जो भगवान्का दास बनता है, उसके सरलभावसे भगवान् रीझ जाते हैं—‘**मोरें अधिक दास पर प्रीती**’ (मानस, उत्तर १६। ४)। गीताके अठारहवें अध्यायमें जब भगवान्के द्वारा ‘**यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु**’ सुनकर अर्जुन घबरा गये, तब भगवान् दयापरवश होकर अर्जुनसे बोले कि तू मेरी शरणमें आ जा—‘**मामेकं शरणं व्रज**’ (१८। ६६) परन्तु ऐसा कहनेसे पहले भगवान्ने कहा कि यह सबसे अत्यन्त गोपनीय बात है (अठारहवें अध्यायका चौंसठवाँ श्लोक) और बादमें भी कहा कि इसे हर किसीको मत कहना (अठारहवें अध्यायका सड़सठवाँ श्लोक)। इससे सिद्ध होता है कि दूसरेको अपना दास बनानेकी नीयत न होनेपर भी अगर कोई दूसरा सहारा न मिलनेपर मनुष्य घबरा जाय और उनका दास बनना चाहे तो भगवान् दयापरवश होकर उसको स्वीकार कर लेते हैं। तात्पर्य यह हुआ कि जो किसी देवतापर श्रद्धा रखता है, उसकी श्रद्धाको भगवान् उस देवतामें दृढ़ कर देते हैं और जो भगवान्पर श्रद्धा रखता है, उसकी श्रद्धाको भगवान् अपनेमें दृढ़ कर दें—इसमें सन्देह ही क्या है! कारण कि भगवान्की दृष्टि भक्तके हितके लिये होती है, अपने स्वार्थके लिये नहीं।

**स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते।**